Governor Kelly Announces $10 Million for Utility Infrastructure Improvements in 18 Communities

Governor Laura Kelly has announced the Kansas Department of Health and Environment is awarding $10 million from the agency's Small Town Water and Sewer Infrastructure Assistance grant program to help 18 small communities improve water and wastewater services.

That program received the funds through the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) program funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

Grant applicants were comprised of water and wastewater utilities with a population of less than 1,000 and that have a public health or regulatory compliance issue that infrastructure improvements would help resolve.

"These investments go a long way to provide the necessary resources to update wastewater infrastructure and meet the needs of our communities," Governor Laura Kelly said. "These upgrades will make sure small towns are able to provide safe and clean water, improving the livelihood of their residents."

"There is a great need for investment in water and wastewater infrastructure," said Leo Henning, KDHE Deputy Secretary for Environment. "The Small Town Water and Sewer Infrastructure Assistance program allows for improvements and developments in communities that may otherwise be prohibited due to cost. KDHE will partner with the awarded communities to implement the projects outlined in their applications."

Grant awards were made to 18 utilities:

• The City of Albert ($56,000, population 128) for the rehabilitation of the existing wastewater lagoon cells to remove contaminated soil and install a new clay liner.
• The City of Arlington ($1,035,000, population 431) for new public water supply wells in a new area to replace existing water supply wells that exceed the maximum contaminant level for nitrate.
• The City of Copeland ($600,000, population 251) for a new public water supply well, disinfection treatment facility and interconnection with an existing well to reduce nitrate contaminants below the maximum contaminant level.
• The City of Galva ($1,016,230, population 870) for new public water supply wells, transmission mains, a disinfection treatment facility and a blending facility to resolve arsenic contamination.
• The City of Herndon ($50,000, population 121) to rehabilitate the existing wastewater lagoon facility to resolve a KDHE Consent Order to improve the lagoon system.
• The City of Ingalls ($112,000, population 249) to replace a failing sewage lift station that bypasses the treatment facility when inoperable.
• The City of Hanston ($499,000, population 260) to construct a non-discharging lagoon treatment system to replace the existing 60-year-old wastewater treatment plant that cannot meet permit requirements in accordance with a KDHE Consent Order.
• The City of Holyrood ($187,000, population 409) to interconnect existing wells to a blending station facility to reduce radium contamination below the maximum contaminant level.
• Miami County/Bucyrus ($1,500,000, population 192) to abandon the existing non-compliant wastewater treatment facility and interconnect with the City of Spring Hill to treat the wastewater.
• The City of Morland ($210,000, population 115) to rehabilitate the existing lagoon treatment facility to comply with allowable seepage rates.
• The City of Narka ($283,000, population 80) to replace an aerial truss collector pipe at the downstream end of the City's sanitary sewer collection system that leaks raw sewage.
• The City of Olsburg ($490,000, population 221) to improve the existing lagoon treatment facility that is not meeting current permit requirements and convert it to a non-discharging facility.
• The City of Palco ($500,000, population 210) to construct a new water treatment plant to reduce nitrate contaminants below the maximum contaminant level.
• Riley County/University Park Sewer Benefit District ($1,500,000, population 300) to construct a non-discharging lagoon facility to replace the existing mechanical treatment facility that cannot meet permit requirements.
• The City of Susank ($300,000, population 28) to rehabilitate the existing lagoon treatment system to comply with allowable seepage rates.
• The City of Sylvia ($1,000,000, population 210) to construct new wells to supply water with nitrate contaminants below the maximum contaminant level.
• Reno County Rural Water District 101 ($600,000, population 200) to interconnect with Hutchinson and blend the existing water supply to reduce nitrate contaminants below the maximum contaminant level.
• Rooks County Rural Water District No. 3 ($61,770, population 380) to rehabilitate the existing water treatment plant to improve the removal of nitrate contaminants below the maximum contaminant level.

(Information courtesy Office of the Governor.)